According to the Global Unicorn Enterprise Observation Report for the First Half of 2026, 179 new unicorns emerged worldwide in the first half of 2026, up 250.98 percent year on year. Of these, 81 were in the United States and 68 in China. As of June 30, Beijing was home to 145 unicorns in total, the highest number of any city in China, consolidating its status as China's No.1 Unicorn City.

Beijing added the largest number of new unicorns in the first half of the year, with 24 companies, including Helixon, Galaxea AI and Emposat, joining the ranks.

Beijing's strong position as a leading city for unicorn companies is the result of the overall strength of its innovation ecosystem. In terms of talent and scientific research, the city ranks among the national leaders in R&D intensity and the share of R&D spending devoted to basic research. With more than a million highly skilled professionals, Beijing also has a strong foundation for innovation. At the policy level, the service packages for key enterprises and the dedicated "dual-steward" mechanism that go with the "Ten Measures for Unicorn Companies" have made enterprise support more targeted, moving from broad-based policies toward tailored support for individual companies. On the industrial side, the added value of Beijing's high-tech industries already accounted for 30 percent of the city's gross regional product two years ago, creating ample room for the application and commercialization of new technologies.

(Source: Beijing Daily)